Saving Money Blog

How to kiss late fees goodbye

Are you incurring late fees not because you don't have the money, but because you simply forget to pay your bills? If so, it is time to get your bills in order!

Each month, most of us have to remember to pay a laundry list of bills. If we fail to pay on time, we could incur late fees.

Here are some ways to eliminate those fees -- and to end the stress of remembering to pay your bills.

Put a system in place

We all know we should pay bills on time. But in reality, life happens. Maybe you went online to make a payment and forgot to hit the submit button. Or, things got hectic and the due date passed you by.

To get around this, create a system to pay your bills in advance.

Your system doesn't have to be fancy or use the latest technology. Whether it is a piece of paper or smartphone app, having a system in place can help you pay bills on time.

Create a checklist, or go automatic

It may sound elementary, but a bill calendar or checklist really helps. Your bill calendar should include a listing of each bill and the payment date. There should be a checkbox you can mark once payment is made.

Pay your bills according to the days you receive a paycheck instead of waiting until the bill's due date. For example, if you are paid twice a month, consider paying your bills twice a month as well.

Setting up auto payment for recurring bills is another great way to ensure your payments are made on time. But be careful -- if the amount of your bill varies from month to month, you may want to pay manually.

Kemberley Washington is a CPA and professor at Dillard University. Visit her blog at Kemberley.com. Follow her on Facebook or connect with her on Twitter. Like, love, tweet or share this post!

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